Occupational Therapy and Stress

Franklin Stein is Emeritus Professor of Occupational Therapy from the University of South Dakota, former Founding Editor of Occupational Therapy International and life member of the American Psychological Association.Khader Almhdawi is a Professor of Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation at the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at Jordan University of Science & Technology (JUST).Ryan Thomure is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator in the Department of Occupational Therapy at University of Illinois Chicago.Farrukh A. Chishtie is a Research Assistant in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Climate Expert at the Climate Hub, and Co-Lead of the Climate Migration Research Group at the Centre for Migration Studies, University of British Columbia.George S. Tomlin is Professor Emeritus of Occupational Therapy at the University of Puget Sound, where he taught for 38 years and chaired the program for 14 years. He has authored 30 articles and 7 books/chapters and made 90+ conference presentations internationally. His professional service includes 12 years on the NBCOT Board of Directors. Current projects focus on artificial intelligence in occupational therapy and faculty research resources.

"This new and comprehensive text is an important contribution to the libraries of occupational therapy practitioners and educators alike. Occupational Therapy and Stress: Foundations, Assessment and Interventions first deftly and succinctly covers definitions and the history and philosophy of stress research before proceeding to explain the neurophysiology of stress responses, then assessment and treatment, finally rounding off with first person accounts. Given the many ways our OT curricula are organized, the assessment and treatment of stress and stress related disorders may be spread out over multiple courses. The logical organization of this text allows for assignment of chapters that can stand alone and also lead into a gradual integration of clinical concepts." Juli McGruder, Distinguished Emerita Professor of Occupational Therapy, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington, USA"The book, Occupational Therapy and Stress: Foundations, Assessment and Interventions, makes an outstanding contribution to the occupational therapy community, given that stress is not merely a mental health concern and stress management is relevant to almost all practice areas given how disease and physical symptoms may be caused by stress, but also may precipitate a stress response. The book provides a comprehensive occupational therapy perspective on stress that is theoretically and empirically informed and offers evidenced based interventions rooted in the Person Environment Occupational model that acknowledges the biopsychosocial and interactional foundations of stress, which can lead to both positive and negative outcomes." Ben Mortenson, Professor and Department Head of Occupational Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada"This text offers a novel synthesis of science and practice through an occupational lens, deepening understanding of how engagement in meaningful activities influences stress and resilience. Integrating evidence-based assessment tools and innovative approaches to intervention, it provides a timely and transformative resource for advancing occupational therapy education and practice in the prevention and management of stress." Janet Njelesani, Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy, New York University, New York, USA"This seminal work not only explores the historical evolution of stress research, it identifies fundamental intersections within the occupational therapy scope of practice. Stein and colleagues’ integrated-pathway framework shifts the focus of occupational therapy intervention beyond learning survival skills for stress management, and instead provides tools for promoting adaptation and thriving with clients; it is valuable for students, educators and practitioners." Amy Kashiwa, Clinical Associate Professor, School of Occupational Therapy, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington, USA

• 1. What is Stress? 2. Stress, Disease, Resilience: A History of Discoveries 3. Stress Neurophysiology and its Underlying Mechanisms 4.Technology, Stress and Participation: Harnessing Digital Tools with Intentional Boundaries 5. The Stress Management Questionnaire 6. Other Stress Assessment Tools 7. Positive Health Approaches to Stress: Flourishing through Adversity 8. Learning New Strategies in Coping with Stress 9. Beyond Everyday Stress: Stress-Related Disorders through an Occupational Therapy Lens 10. Caring for the Caregiver: Self-Care, Burnout Prevention and Resilience in OT Education and Practice 11. Group Interventions for Stress Management 12. Designing a Group Psychoeducation Model for Stress Management & Authors’ Personal Responses to Stress in Their Lives Appendix: Stein’s Stress Management Questionnaire